Maker's Mark – Bourbon (70cl, 45%)

Maker's Mark is a Kentucky bourbon from Loretto, bottled at 45% ABV. It came out in 1959, a few years after Bill Samuels Senior and Pappy van Winkle developed the recipe. The mash is mostly corn with red winter wheat in place of rye, for a milder aroma. The grain is crushed rather than milled, cooked for longer than usual and fermented in cypress vats about 100 years old, using a yeast strain handed down for over 150 years. The nose is rich and buttery, with raisins and honey. The palate shows vanilla, honey, orange and buttery sweetness, with old leather and a trace of sharp spice. The finish is long, warm and very soft.